The Airbnb Community in Austin: Responsible Hosts & Respectful Guests

Today, we’re releasing a new study highlighting the many benefits that home sharing brings to Austin. Home sharing allows people to turn what is generally one of their greatest expenses into a tool to help make ends meet. Many Airbnb hosts are middle class residents who share their homes to pay the bills. Meanwhile, Airbnb guests generate sustainable, local economic activity that supports small businesses.

Many of our hosts in Austin are long time residents who are simply sharing the home in which they live. Meanwhile, guests are traveling in small groups and at the guidance of their hosts, shopping at local businesses.

Here are some highlights from the report:

Responsible home sharing is creating an economic engine for Austin. In the past year 98% of hosts recommended a local business to a guest staying at their listing. This lead to approximately 124 million dollars of spending at Austin businesses by Airbnb guests.

Hosts are long-time Austin residents committed to the community. The average Airbnb host is 37 years old and is a long time member of the community having lived there for an average of 16 years.

Hosts are sharing the home in which they live. 85% of Austin hosts share the home in which they live. In addition, 67% of listings were rented for fewer than 30 days in the past year.

Airbnb guests travel in small groups, looking for a unique travel experience. 87% of trips booked to Austin on Airbnb include four or fewer guests. Furthermore, 92% of listings on Airbnb have three or fewer bedrooms. 87% of guests choose Airbnb because they want to “live like a local” and 77% said that staying in an Airbnb made them more likely to return.